Cakey
by SmileMandalore
Summary: Chapter 10-The Grand Arena. "Her reddish orange hair was all I could recognise her by; she was face down in the carpet; her body had been mauled by some wild beast." Atton/LSFEx's Daughter
1. Prologue

I shouldn't be here. I should have been out on the fields with my father, fighting the Mandalorian Raiders: Defending my home. I should be dead, just like him. But no, instead I locked myself in my room and hid in the cupboard until Mira fished me out and took me to live with her and her son Shen. I was afraid. I was only 10 when it happened...

My father and I had a strong force connection. He said he'd shared one with my mother before she left. He taught me how to shield my thoughts from his when I was having girl's problems. He didn't want anything to do with girl problems. He said our house keeper Diane was better of dealing with those things. But sometimes, I felt so much pain that my father would come into my room, telling me it'd be ok. Sometimes I just couldn't keep my thoughts in place. However, sometimes he couldn't keep his. One occasion I remember especially. It was on the anniversary of when he'd first met my mother. I remember sitting in my room, looking at the setting sun when I suddenly felt an overwhelming wave of grief. I remember getting up and finding my father in the living room; his head in his hands. It was the first time that I realised how much my father actually missed mum.

The worst feeling in the world is that of someone else's grief. Once my father noticed my presence he called me over. I could see that he had been crying. I walked over to him and sat next to him.

"Jakkie," He said quietly. I had the feeling that he had more to say, but he just stopped, put his head in his hands again, and continued his crying. I hugged my father. I hated seeing him in any sort of trouble. He was just one of those people who attracted it. He hugged me back and I asked him what was wrong. He replied that it was nothing and instructed me to go to bed. I did as he told me, like with everything else. But that night neither he nor I got one wink of sleep.

That's how's it's been for me for the last couple of years. I've dropped my Jedi training and stopped sleeping. Shen's loud snoring in the bed across the other side of the room is not the only reason why I don't sleep anymore. I keep feeling the pain that I did the day my father died. I knew when he had been killed: I could feel it through the bond we had. My father had told me that he did not know the extent of pain felt through the force, but he said he'd been told that when a padawan was killed the master became wounded. He did not know about the other way though. He had this theory that when the master died, the pain may be so extreme that it killed the padawan. This did not happen to be the case between us though.

Once Mira had found me hiding and crying in the cupboards, she pulled me out and took me to her ship. She told me that my father was dead. But I didn't need her to tell me; I already knew. I travelled with her to Nar Shadda where she and her son lived in a hidden room off the space docks. It was crowded and smelt really bad. Mira told me that I'd get used to it. She also persisted on calling me Cakey.

"Why do you call me Cakey?" I eventually asked one day.

Mira smiled. Her devil red hair went with the draft. "I don't know your name."

I stood there and realised that she was correct. Not once had I told her or Shen my name. "My name's Jakkie with two Ks."

Shen got up from his seat and looked at me. His eyes full of confusion. "What kind of name is that?"

"It's my name. I was named after my father." I replied sourly. I didn't like people picking on my name.

Mira hushed Shen and turned to me. "I've always known you as Cakey, even when you were little. However, if you wish me to call you Jakkie..."

"No. It's alright." I replied.

Mira smiled and left us to take a seat at the table.

"Why were you named after your father?" Shen asked.

I raised an eyebrow. I had no idea why, and I suddenly realised something else strange. My father's name was Atton.

"I have no idea." I replied truthfully.

I turned to where Mira had gone to sit down. She'd known my father for a long time now, and I'd decided to ask her. But when I turned to her, she wasn't there. I turned back to Shen who was as surprised as me.

"Where'd she go?" He asked. I shrugged. I had no idea. I walked up to the table and noticed a message on it.

_Property of the Exchange: Mira. _Is all I read. It was all I needed to make me curious.

I turned to Shen. "What's the exchange?" I asked him.

That's when we heard the sound of blasters.


	2. Chapter 1 Travis the Twi'Lek

Chapter 1

The first 5 years that I'd grown up with Mira and Shen had been some of the most uneasy times. Mira often was out collecting bounties and I was always stuck with Shen, who too wanted to work in his mother's field.

"My first bounty's going to be the best." He exclaimed. He'd planned to capture a Jedi.

I'd at first laughed when I heard his plan. Shen, capture a Jedi!? That was just about as unlikely as my mother walking through the door right now.

Shen spat at me and left the room to walk around the docks. His mother didn't like him going out on his own. In actual fact, it's that she didn't trust him. Once, when we were both 12, Shen had walked into the Jekk'Jekk Tarr. His mother had to get an enviro-suit just to get him out. He was woozy for days on end and didn't really sober up until his 13th birthday. That had started Shen's unhealthy addiction with all things alcohol. I would often find him going through his mother's secret stash under her bed. Once Shen had drunk so much alcohol that his mother had to take him to a medical centre. She left me alone in the drafty, smelly room for 3 whole days.

Shen would often pick on me, for the fact that I was a girl. He was a real jerk for the first 3 years that I lived with Mira and him.

"Why don't you run and cry to your father," would be his most common insult when I was sad, "oh, wait! He's dead." He'd go on to say that I was abandoned by my mother. However, if Mira ever heard him say that she would walk right up to him and lecture him on how my mother had saved the galaxy. "Imagine this," Shen would retort, "If you had collected the bounty on her head, we'd be living like millionaires." Mira would then get angry and send Shen to bed.

Once we were both 14, Shen and I started to get along once more. Mira also let us roam Nar Shadda more freely, including letting us out of the docks. I remember the first time I'd left the docks quite vividly. Shen was with me. He had his blaster on him. Mira had told us that the only time we were allowed to leave the docks was when one of us had a blaster. As I set foot outside the docks, my mind became so overwhelmed with voices that I collapsed. The next thing I knew, I was back in the room, a little moist cloth over my head.

As we grew older, Shen and I became better friends. When we turned 15, we started to go on long walks around the docks together. Eventually we became best friends, and did almost everything together.

Just before Mira was kidnapped, Shen and I had left the docks again for the first time in a year. This time, I used an old mind trick, taught to me by my father. Once I set foot out of the docks, I was fine. Shen and I did the shopping normally he and Mira would do and made our way back to the room. That's when I'd asked Mira why she called me Cakey. That's when the Exchange took her.

I stood there, staring at the door. The blasters had stopped. I watched as the door was cut by something extremely hot. The being on the other side pushed through the hole it had created and walked into the room. Shen and I both screamed.

"Calm down children." It was a Jedi. He was a Twi'lek who'd trained on Dantooine. He said he recognised me from numerous visits but these visits eluded my memory. "I was told by your father to help you continue on with your Jedi training once he had died."

I looked at him, confused. The last time I'd even thought about using the force was when I was 10. That was 5 years ago now. "Right." I said and nodded slowly. I didn't believe his story.

"Oh, but it's true." He looked to Shen, then back to me. "Follow me."

We followed him to a small cargo ship. From there he took us to Dantooine.

The journey to Dantooine was long. While we travelled we learned a lot about this mysterious Jedi. His name was Travis. He told us that his real parents had been killed when he was a baby and he was taken in by the Jedi council. Once he had reached the age, he was chosen by Jedi Master Qualm as his apprentice. He had chosen to become a Jedi Sentinel, saying that he had admired the work of one particular Jedi, Bastilla Shan.

"I've always wanted to learn Battle Meditation." He said.

Shen and I asked him about the Exchange and going back to save Mira several times. He explained to us that the Exchange was a group that worked with all the illegal work throughout the rim. He said they dealt with everything from spice smuggling to bounties. He also told us that before we were able to get Mira, we needed some sort of training.

"You don't want to walk in there and get shot to pieces in 3 seconds."

Shen and I agreed with him.

As we approached Dantooine I became more and more anxious. It had been 5 years since I last set foot on my home planet. 5 years since I'd seen the yellow grass and felt the warm breeze. I didn't really want to return to Dantooine, fearing that my father's ghost would haunt my every step. But here I was again.

I was back home.


	3. Chapter 2 Disciple

Chapter 2 Disciple

When I was growing up on Dantooine, the place seemed so alive and bright. My father and I would often sit on the front porch where he'd tell me numerous stories about my mother and how beautiful she was. He would often explain how I had her green eyes, which were ruined by his brown hair. However, when my father talked about my mother, I always felt sad. I'd never known her. She left before my 1st birthday. My father would often see the look in my eyes and give me a hug.

"She loved you very much..." He continued, "So much that it was hard for her to leave."

"Why'd she leave then?" I'd ask him, wiping a tear from my eye.

My father sighed. "I know it's hard for you to understand Jakkie, but your mother has a commitment to the lives of everyone in the Republic. It's not that she wanted to leave you; she had to."

Somehow those few words made me happy.

I wish I was happy now.

Dantooine looked so odd... So foreign. It was a completely different place from when I was last there. Travis kept the ship in orbit while he explained to Shen and I what we were going to do. When I saw Shen in the cockpit he looked tired. His eyes were bloodshot and his red hair wasn't the vibrant colour it had been on Nar Shadda. Even his skin had become a darker shade, and his voice was somewhat deeper when he spoke. Travis, on the other hand, was just as bright as he was when we'd left Nar Shadda. He seemed happy and the only difference was that his Lekku hung behind his shoulders, unlike the other day.

He shot a glance from Shen and then turned to me from the pilot's seat. "Glad to see that you're holding up alright." He tried to smile, but after seeing Shen it was hard.

I nodded and listened as Travis explained what was happening. Once we landed on Dantooine, Travis was going to take Shen and I to the now rebuilt Jedi Enclave. There we were going to meet up with a friend of my family, Mical.

I remembered Mical from when I was very young. I was only 5, but I could still see the tension in the air between him and my father one day when we were sitting in the lounge room. Mical had come to discuss his worries over my training with my father and neither of the men seemed too pleased with each other.

"Atton, I think it'd be better if she came to train in the Enclave." Mical told my father. "You know better than anyone that emotional attachments hinder a young Jedi's training."

"What do you mean by that?" My father would say. I sat on the floor listening to the two of them. In my father's eyes I could see anger towards the other Jedi.

"Remember how she..." Mical hesitated for a moment, "She left?"

My father stood up. "She left because of her duty to the people of the Republic!"

I let out a little cry and the two men turned their attention to me. I looked to Mical and then to my father, who both had paused their argument. My father saw that I was distressed and turned his attention back to Mical for a minute.

"Just give me a minute to tuck Jakkie into bed." He said calmed and walked over to me.

He offered me a hand. I took it and my father pulled me up. Hand in hand we walked out of the room, not before Mical said goodnight to me.

My father pulled the covers over me and pulled my favourite toy down from the shelf above my bed. He handed it to me and walked towards my door.

"Dad," I called still in distress from his and Mical's argument.

My father turned back around and sat on the bed. "Yes Cakey?" He asked using my nickname in an attempt to calm me down.

"What did the master mean?"

My father looked at the stuffed toy Tach, hugged tightly to me in my arms and said, "This toy was actually given to you by Disciple."

I looked at my father with confusion. _Who was Disciple?_

My father chuckled and quickly corrected himself. "I mean Mical." My father saw the look on my face and sighed. He knew that he wasn't fooling me, even if I was only a five year old. "Mical means that your mother left because of me."

My father gave me a kiss on my forehead and got up. Before turning off the light by the switch next to the door he turned back to me. "I'll explain it to you're when your older. Goodnight."

He turned it off and left the room.

I laid there in darkness listening to my father and Mical argue. I couldn't remember most of it but it eventually ended with my father saying that Mical couldn't take me away.

"She's the closest thing to Shana. I can't lose Jakkie like I lost Shana. Please Mical, you have to understand." My father sounded like he was begging with Mical.

From my room I could hear Mical's voice change from authority to a sound of sympathy. "I do understand."

I heard Mical's footsteps and the front door close as I slowly drifted off to sleep.

"Jakkie... Jakkie, did you hear me?" I turned my attention from the view screen back to Travis. His face didn't give me any sign of anger or frustration but I could hear it in his voice.

I nodded.

"Good. I suggest you think of some sort of alias before we land."

I gave Travis a confused look. "Why?"

Travis sighed. "I just explained this." He turned his attention to the controls. "Shen will explain it to you."

I looked to where Shen was sitting. He kept his head down and got up and left into the common room. I followed him closely. I took a seat directly across from where he sat.

With his head still lowered he said quietly, "Travis thinks it's better if we don't use our real names."

"Did he explain why?"

Shen shook his head. We both sat there in silence for a moment. "Why don't you use your nickname?" Shen asked, still keeping his head down.

"What, Cakey?" _This is stupid_, I thought.

"Yeah." Shen replied, finally raising his head. Although he was still upset and tired, he shot me a grin and laughed.

"Fine." I continued, "But since you chose my name, I'm going to chose yours." I tried to think of a good name, but only one came to mind. "Patches."

Shen gave me a look. "Why Patches?"

"When I was little I had a toy Tach. His name was Patches."

"Okay, but can I modify it just a little bit?" Shen asked.

"How'd I know you'd try to get out of a deal?" _Because you're so damn predictable, even if your upset._

"No, it's not like that." He continued, "Patches can be my alias, but instead of saying Patches all the time..." He thought for a moment, "Why not just say Pat?"

I nodded. "Alright... Patches."

"Thanks... Cakey."

Travis was a graceful pilot and the landing was almost perfect. It wasn't Travis's fault, however, someone had built the landing pad on an awkward slope and Travis had to adjust the length of the ship's legs to compensate for it. He did a fine job at it, but the ramp leading from the cargo hold to the ground stood fragile, and every step we took down it made it shutter under our feet. It was probably the slowest descend to the ground ever made on foot. As I got closer to setting foot onto Dantooine, more and more fear grew inside me. Although the world which had once been home to me seemed odd and different, I was sure that once I set foot on it memories would come flooding back of my father and the pain I felt for years after his death. I quietly reassured myself that I would be fine; all I had to do was think of good memories. This was enough to keep me up when I set foot on the planet's surface.

I could feel the pain grow inside me, and tears welling at my eyes. But I kept it back and thought of all the times me and my father spent laughing back at the old homestead. Even though I was keeping it under control, from the corner of my eye I could see Shen looking at me with concern. I recovered myself in time to be greeted by a fair haired Jedi.

"Welcome back Travis. I see you found them without trouble." He said. I recognised him and his voice.

"Not entirely. I'll explain it to you in private." Travis beckoned for Shen and I to come forward and he introduced us to him.

"It's a pleasure to see you both. I'd be surprised if either of you two would remember me." He bowed to us. "I am Mical."

It was a short reunion. Once Travis had introduced us, Shen and I were ushered away from the two Jedi's to a small room. The woman who showed us the way was not much older than either of us, maybe 18. Despite her age, she had silver hair which trailed along behind her in a long plat. She introduced herself as Mara Onasi, and said if either one of us needed anything to give her a call from the Terminal at the far side of the room. Just before she left she suggested, mainly to Shen, that we get some sleep.

I sat on an auburn coloured sofa. Shen took a seat next to me, still distressed.

"Shen, she'll be alright." I said, trying to comfort him.

He nodded, "I know."

"So why are you upset?" I asked, confused.

He shrugged. "I've got to be honest with you Cakey. I don't know why. I know my mother will be alright, and I know we will get her back, but..." He stopped.

"But what?"

"I don't know." He threw his head back against the sofa as he continued, "there's a dark cloud hanging around, but I don't know..."

It took me a bit to get the metaphor. "Shen, it's going to be alright. We're going to get your mum back and then we're going to go back to the way things were. Just you, Mira and me."

Shen nodded, "I hope your right."

I did too.

"Anyway, we've got a day to kill before we get told anything. What do you suggest we do?" Shen asked, looking a bit happier than before.

"I suggest you get some sleep. You're a wreck."

"Speak for yourself." Shen took a small mirror off the table and held it in front of me. I could see that he was right. He put the mirror back and yawned. "I guess you're right." He sat closer to me and put his head on my shoulder. "Good night Cakey."

I looked at him as he slowly went to sleep. I must of drifted off as well for the next thing I knew, the room was pitch dark. An ominous glow from outside lit up the different shapes in the room. Sometime, when I was asleep, Shen must of found a blanket lying around somewhere and wrapped it around me. I looked around the room again, but there was no sight of him. There was another person in the room, I could hear their breathing.

"Hello?" I called, dazed, into the darkness.

No answer.

"This isn't funny Shen." I said as I reached for the lamp on the table beside me. I turned it on and the intensity temporarily blinded me. "Shen stop kidding around."

Once my eyes had adjusted I looked at the room around me. No one was there, not even Shen. I got up; keeping the blanket wrapped around me and proceeded over to the Terminal.

"Hello, this is Mara Onasi." I looked at her through the view screen. She looked as if she had just got out of bed.

"Hi, umm..." I hesitated for a moment but then continued, "Do you know where Pat is?"

"Do you mean your friend?" Mara asked, "There's no need to use your alias around me. I know who you are."

"Okay..."

"Don't worry!" She said in a tone that was almost mocking, "He's just at the mess hall."

I said thanks and turned off the Terminal. I sat back down on the sofa just as Shen walked through the door.

"Glad to see your up." He continued as he proceeded to take a seat in an arm chair across from me, "You slept for over 12 hours."

Shen took a sip from the cup he had brought with him. I could smell the vile smell of alcohol. "Please tell me your joking?"

Shen shook his head. "It's true. You slept like a baby."

I gave him a look of frustration. "You know what I mean."

He looked to the cup. "You mean this?" I nodded, slowly. "Come on Cakey! We both know I like to drink."

"But Shen, you don't get it?" I continued, "It's not that you like to drink; it's that you have a problem with drinking."

Shen and I turned our attention away from each other and to the door as it opened and closed. Travis walked through, excited and practically dancing. His skin seemed a brighter shade, despite the lack of light, and his eyes seemed to glow.

"Jakkie, I've got some great news!" He continued, "They've allowed me to take you on as an apprentice!"

Shen and I both looked to each other. I'm sure the look I saw on his face was the exact same as mine. "What? Cakey, a Jedi?"

Travis nodded. "Why not?"

Shen put the cup down and sat back in the seat before bursting out into laughter.

"What's so funny?" Travis asked. He was confused.

"Cakey... A Jedi?" His roar of laughter grew louder.

I gave him a grim look. "I haven't said yes yet."

"Yeah, but the prospect of it... It's just plain amusing!" He took a deep breath and started laughing again.

I turned my attention away from the laughing moron and to Travis who was still watching Shen. His look had changed from plain confusion to worry as well. "Is he going to be okay?" Travis asked me.

"Once I give him a shot to the head with a blaster..." I replied.

Shen got up, his laughing fit now over. "If you would excuse me, I need to use the 'fresher. I think I laughed too much." He proceeded to the small door at the other side of the room.

Travis took Shen's seat and asked me, "Why don't you want to retake your training?"

"It's been 5 years. I'm too old, aren't I?" I suddenly became aware of another person who'd just entered the room.

Mical took a seat on the sofa next to me. He was dressed in his Jedi robes. "Your mother started retraining at the age of 29."

I nodded. I knew that. "But she was a special case."

"Who's to say that you're not?" Mical continued, "Shen needs your help, as does Mira. We both know this. The best way of getting Mira back will be with Jedi training."

I looked to Travis who nodded. "Everyone who is trained in the force is a special case. Whether you save the entire galaxy or just your close friends. In the end you will touch the hearts of others."

"But..." I tried to think of the best way to put it, "What if I don't want to learn how to use the force again?"

Travis lowered his head and Mical sighed. "Then that is your choice." Mical patted me on the shoulder as he continued, "Do not make your decisions hastily. Take some time to think about it."

Both of the Jedi got up and left, leaving me and the cup of Shen's alcohol on the table alone in the room. Shen emerged from the refresher a short time later and took Mical's place next to me on the sofa. He put one hand on my shoulder. I turned to him and he could obviously see that I was crying. He pulled me close and hugged me.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to laugh at you." He told me quietly.

I nodded. "It's not that."

Shen stroked my hair. "Do you want to talk about it?"

The truth is I did. But I didn't know how to explain it. "No."

I eventually fell asleep in Shen's arms.


	4. Chapter 3 Special Discoveries

Chapter 3

Shen had always been a little... A little _smart. _Not in the typical sense of the word, but in the way that he could pick out something odd. Though, I often just passed it off as paranoia. We'd been moved to new rooms since our arrival on Dantooine. We had now been here for over a week and I had accepted Mical's offer to retrain in the ways of the Jedi. Much to Shen's dismay.

"Why do you even want to be a Jedi?" Shen had asked this question several times.

I shrugged. "You heard what Travis said: We'll have more chance of getting Mira back if I did."

Shen nodded. "I know, but there's something fishy, and I'm not just talking about that Selkath padawan down the hall from here."

I rolled my eyes. Shen had always disliked the Selkath. When we were on Nar Shadda, a whole bunch of them had lived down the hall of our little room. Whenever we set foot in that hallway, the smell of fish entered our nostrils. "You're paranoid." I replied, turning over in my bed so I wouldn't have to look at him.

I heard him sigh in frustration and lay his head on the pillow of his bed. "Well the masters are having a meeting tomorrow..." Shen continued, "And I was just thinking that if we..."

"We're not spying on Travis and Mical." I intervened. "It's not polite."

"But if we did it would either confirm my paranoia or prove that I'm right."

I sighed. I knew that if I didn't say yes, Shen would keep me awake all night. I was already tired from a day's worth of training. "Ok, I'll go with you..." I could feel Shen smiling behind me, "But only this once."

"Thanks Cakey." Shen said, and he finally turned off the light and let me sleep.

But my sleep was disturbed much too early.

Shen woke me up before the crack of dawn. "But master, training doesn't start to sunrise..." I said sleepily.

Shen laughed. "I never thought you'd call me master."

I shot up and looked at him. He was standing over me with his hands on either of my shoulders. He'd shaken me awake. I yawned and stretched my arms out; making sure that one of them slapped him in the face. "You Gamorrean pig." I yawned.

Shen laughed and walked into the refresher.

Shen once told me about a time when he snuck into the vents in the apartments on Nar Shadda and listened in on a conversation between a slave trader and a few Duros pilots.

"Did they catch you?" Was the first question I asked.

He nodded slowly. As it so happens, Shen was taken away by the slave traders and put into a cage. They were going to sell him to a Hutt on Tatooine who ran a swoop bar. However, Mira had burst into the place and killed all of the slave traders with a yellow light sabre to save her son.

"Your mother was a Jedi?" I asked after he had finished explaining how his mother had saved him.

He shrugged. "I'm not too sure," He continued, brushing his fringe back, "I haven't seen her with a light sabre since... So I guess she just found it."

He didn't sound too convincing. Mira came home shortly after, her red hair flying with the draft and her blasters clipped to the belt on her leather trousers.

"What have you two been up to?" She asked when she noticed that the room was unusually clean.

Shen and I looked at each other. Neither of us had the guts to ask her about the light sabre.

I yawned again. I wasn't used to getting up early and the past week had been hard on me. Every morning, just after sunrise, Mical came into our room and woke me up. I wouldn't have had a problem with this if I hadn't seen Shen, across the room from me, dozing like he didn't have a problem at all. How I envied him.

Shen peaked around the corner quickly and then turned to me. "The coast is clear... You go first."

"WHAT?!?" I continued, "This was your idea! No point in being a wuss now."

"But you're the Jedi. If you're wandering around at this hour, it won't seem strange."

For some reason, Shen's logic seemed to make sense.

I got off the wall and casually walked down the corridor, looking at each door I passed to see if it was open or closed. I finally came to the end and quickly turned a corner, hiding between a plant and column. I could hear Shen's heavy steps follow me.

"What do you think you two are doing?" A female voice came from behind me, just as Shen caught up. We both looked at the woman behind us.

It was the silver-haired Mara Onasi. She stood in a casual manner, so I took it as if she wasn't angry with us... Yet. She crossed her arms across her Jedi robe and looked down on the two of us. Only then did I realise how tall she was.

"Umm... I... We..." I stuttered, trying to come up with an excuse.

Mara's serious face broke into a smile. "Come on, you can tell me."

Her smile must of been convincing because both Shen and I burst out, explaining what we were doing. Mara nodded and made a few intriguing noises while she listened. Not once did her calm face turn angry. At the end of it, she looked from one of us to the other and grabbed us both by an arm.

"Come with me." She said as she started leading us down a hall.

"Your suspicions are right." She said as she took us into a small room. There was a large computer terminal and a view screen directly above it. "The masters haven't told you everything, just like what they did with me when I was sent here."

Mara let go of our arms and started to type a few things into the computer terminal as my mind whizzed. _What was she on about? _I asked myself, "_Why is she helping us? Why isn't she...._

"Take a look at this." Mara broke the silence and pointed to the view screen.

Shen and I watched as several masters sat in separate seats in a small round room... _The Council Chambers... _They were joined by several others who stood in the middle of the masters. They were young, not much older than Shen, Mara and I, and, although we couldn't see their faces, from the look of the master's, the ones in the middle were determined.

One in particular stood out to me. He was a fairly tall guy, with raven black hair. He couldn't have been older than 18. "Masters, may we please have an audience with you?" He asked. His voice was jagged and edgy, much like my fathers.

Mical, who sat in a seat next to a female brunette and Travis replied. "You are always welcome to Bao."

I held back a laugh. I had an uncle, well, he wasn't my real uncle but he was a good family friend. His name was Bao-Dur and he always made me laugh. Shen noticed my expression and elbowed me. "Be quiet, I want to hear this." He said.

I gave him a look and turned my attention back to the view screen.

"Master, I hear reports of a new padawan... One who once lived on Dantooine." The one called Bao asked. I was taken by surprise. It almost sounded as if he was talking about me!

Mical nodded. "Yes, young Cakey."

"That's the one." He was talking about me. I moved closer to the view screen to take a look at this guy. "I... I was wondering..." He seemed to stutter, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Is she... My sister?"

I stood there, my jaw so wide that it was lying on the computer terminal. _This guy thinks I'm his sister? _I asked myself. _That's impossible... Dad would have told me... _Just as I thought that, a memory from a long time ago came to mind.

Dad yawned. He was tired. He'd spent half the day out on the field and the other half at the enclave. Mum had been there looking after me. This was the one memory I had of my mother. She cradled me in her arms as my father came running up the steps and kissed her on the cheek. He turned his attention to me and took me from my mother's arms, hugging me close.

Although I was very little, I could remember what my mother was like to be around. She was always caring, often worrying about my father being out at the enclave or on the field chasing the Kath hounds away from our property.

My father, followed closely by mum walked into the house and up the stairs to my bedroom. The walls were purple and the carpet was viridian. They placed me into the cradle and stood there, in each other's arms and watched me drift off to sleep.

For some reason, on that particular night, I could hear the two of them talking.

"D... Did you see him?" My mother asked dad. They were still standing over my cradle; I could feel their presence in my slumber.

My father was quiet for a moment. "Yes... From a distance." My father continued. "He's doing well for such a young kid."

I could feel the warmth coming from my mother as she smiled. "What does he look like?"

"Just like you. He's got the raven black hair and the green eyes..."

I shook my head and returned my attention to the view screen. Mical was still yet to answer Bao, and he looked nervous. The brunette answered for him. "Whether she's your sister should not matter. You know a Jedi's not suppose to have family ties. I suggest all three of you return to your training." _She's full of herself._

I watched as the one called Bao and his friend bowed in thanks and left the council chambers.

"Who..." I took a breath. "Who is that boy?" I asked Mara.

She came up behind me and put her hand on my shoulder. "That's Bao Rand. He's been here since I first started. I think he's 20 now."

I wasn't sure what to believe, but my gut was telling me to go and find out for myself. I shrugged off Mara's hand and ran out of the room, hoping to make it to the courtyard outside of the Council Chambers before he disappeared. Behind me I could hear Shen calling to me, but I ignored him and ran past the droid who guarded the doors and through them to the courtyard.

I ran into someone. I fell on top of them, pushing their back against the ground. I pushed myself up and looked who I'd fallen upon. It was him.

"Bao..." I said quietly.

"Yeah?" he asked, confused. Then he saw who I was. "Cakey? It really is you! You've got mum's eyes and dad's hair!"

He hugged me close. I pulled myself away and got up, offering him a hand. He gladly took it and I pulled him up. Behind me, I could hear Shen puffing and panting as he caught up.

"I never knew you could run that..." He stopped.

I turned to look at him. His eyes were fixed on something. I looked and saw a young Jedi behind Bao. She was beautiful, with soft blonde hair and jet black eyes... This kind of freaked me out... Not only that, but there was something about her...

I shook my head and returned my attention back to Bao. He was fiddling around with his robe's pocket. "Just give me a minute, I've got something for you..." Bao pulled out a small necklace and handed it to me. I looked at it in my hands; on it was a small gold, heart-shaped locket. I opened it and looked inside. A picture of my mother was there.

"Mum gave it to dad before she left. He sought me out afterwards, telling me to give it to you if we ever meet. That was shortly before his death. I ran to our estate, looking for you everywhere, but by then Mira had come by and picked you up. I'm sorry I didn't give it to you sooner." I looked at my brother. In every aspect did he look like my father, with the exception of his eyes and hair, and the apologetic look on his face.

I smiled and put the locket into my pocket. "It's alright." I said quietly.

Bao smiled. "Oh, and by the way, these two are Tetriana Starr..." He pointed to the girl Shen was slowly going gaga for. "And Dustil Onasi, my master." I looked at the one called Dustil. He looked just like Mara, only with brown hair.

"Are you Mara's brother?" I asked him.

Dustil gave me a look. "Who's Mara?"

And then I understood why Mara had helped me and Shen, rather than yelling at us. "Never mind." I replied softly. It wasn't my place to tell him about her.

I looked to Shen, who had since gone up and introduced himself to Tetriana. "So you're from Alderaan... That's a coincidence! I was born there too!" _Liar... _I quickly correct myself, _Flirt._

Tetriana just smiled and said nothing. However, there was something wicked about that smile...

My thoughts were interrupted by Bao. "We must be going. If the masters find out about us meeting, we may be sent to Corusant. Take care, sis." Bao beckoned his master and Tetriana to him and they all took off to the fields.

I looked to Shen, who seemed a bit down. "Wow. I never would have guessed that you had a brother."

I shrugged. "I know. I just hope I get to see him again, and ask him what mum was like." I looked at the ground as Shen walked over to me and put his arm around me.

"Do not worry Cakey! I'm sure we'll get to see him and that cutie Tetriana again..."

"Cakey!" Mical's voice intervened.

Shen quickly took his arm from around me and we both turned towards the council chambers. Mical stood there, with Travis, both adorned in their robes. I smiled to Shen and ran over to them.

For some reason, I was eager to start that days training.


	5. Chapter 4 More like a Jedi and the Caves

Travis was a brilliant master, however he was often looked down on by the council; according to them, Travis expressed his emotions too much.

"When I first started out," he continued, sitting down with me one day after during a break between sparring, "I was apparently really dark and cryptic. More often than not, I had people accusing me of being a Sith.

"Even my hero, Bastilla, acknowledged my presence as _barely _tolerable, saying that I was a huge mass of darkness. But I ignored all those comments and continued on admiring her and my training as if I hadn't heard a word." Travis's face lit up when I told him what I thought about him.

"You're a great teacher," I said, fiddling nervously with a loose strand of hair. "I see you as inspiration rather than a nuisance. There is much I can learn from you."

I said those words to myself again in my mind. The damned Jedi training was getting to me.

Travis smiled and stood back up, extending a green hand to me. "I'm glad to see that one person in the galaxy thinks that."

I took his hand and he pulled me up. He took out his light sabre and I picked my training blade up from the ground. I stood in a defensive stance and Travis tilted his head; he often did this when he wanted to try something new.

"Let's see how you're offensive is," he lit his blue light sabre and moved his stance into a defensive position.

I hesitated. It was something I hadn't been looking forward to, mainly due to the fact that I had never really needed to attack anything in my life. My father had taught me the basics; when in a fight, defend yourself, and only fight back if necessary; but other than that, my mind went completely blank.

Travis, seeing the dismay in my eyes, sighed and dropped his stance. He lowered his light sabre until the top of the blade was just scorching the white concrete floors. "You're kidding me right?" He asked, turning off his light sabre and advancing towards me.

I shook my head. I had no idea how to attack someone.

Travis knelt down so his eyes were parallel from mine. I looked into the gracious yellow eyes that seemed to captivate and trap me in that very moment. I seemed lost in a world of yellow, like the Dantooine I used to know.

He examined mine for a long time before rising and walking back to his spot, resuming his defence position. "You are good at masking you're feelings young one, with the exceptions of those towards Pat..."

It took me a moment to catch on. "Shen?" I asked confused and only just coming back to reality. "What feelings do I have for Shen other than those a sister has for a brother?"

Travis smiled. "Ahh... I see now," he continued, still in his defence position, "reach deep inside you. Feel you're emotions."

"But master, a Jedi's suppose..."

"Just this once."

I closed my eyes. Across the room I could hear the faint hum of Travis's light sabre and nothing else, but that sound slowly faded as I found myself digging into my heart, looking upon emotions that I thought I had overcome.

_**Anger...**_

I was angry with myself; with my father; but more importantly, with mother.

She'd left my father a mess. He'd stopped shaving after she left and by the time he'd died, he had a long brown beard running down in front of him that had the appearance that it could be home to numerous forms of wildlife.

She'd left me without a mother. I grew up in a male dominant house with the only woman being the weekly house keeper Diane, but she eventually died of Kinrath poisoning and was only there for 3 years of my life.

_**Sadness...**_

I was sad that Shen was going through something similar to what I did.

Since we'd arrived on Dantooine, Shen had been moderately cool and calm; he'd acted like nothing had happened, but every time I looked into those blue sullen eyes, I saw the emotions that he kept hidden under his confident shell. He was desperate, and I knew he was always planning some extravagant way of getting his mother back; from bursting in there, blasters all armed and ready to offering a peace offering in the form of a Kath hound's head, mounted like a trophy.

And the final emotion I felt was...

_**Love...**_

But where this emitted from, I was unsure. All I knew is that I desperately wanted that one emotion back in my life...

I opened my eyes and glared at Travis; anger dominating my systems and erasing any aspect of sadness or love. I lifted my training blade and charged at him; my head low so I could gather speed to perform a strong attack.

Travis anticipated my move and easily stopped the blade from striking him on the head with one swift more of his light sabre. I pulled the blade back and swung at him again, anger filling my system even more as rage built up. Each time, my blade was stopped by the blue beam of light; each time my anger grew slowly.

That was until a wave of grief and sadness took over. Travis blocked my finally swing, and I dropped the blade to the floor, dropping to my knees slowly behind it. I lifted my hands to my face and cried, tears trickling down my hands and landing on the blade of my training blade.

"I'm sorry master," I continued, my voice muffled by my hands and interrupted by my sobs, "I should never have let anger control me."

I heard Travis's light sabre's hum die. He knelt down in front of me, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You did well Jakkie. Think about what you have learnt."

His hand moved from my shoulder and he got up. I peeked from my hands just in time to see him leave the room, his lekku trailing behind him.

I was unsure about what he had meant. _You did well... _No I didn't, I replied, his voice echoing in my head, I lashed out at you in anger. And then I realised what this had been. It had been a test, to see if I would easily succumb to my emotions, but like all damned Jedi, Travis had made me some to that conclusion using my own knowledge.

I glared at the door, but did nothing.

"Thank you," I said silently to the dark quiet room, finally realising what being a Jedi was all about...

"Ahh..." Shen yawned, stretching his arms as if trying to reach the ceiling. He looked over and saw me, still in bed. "What are you...?"

"I was given the day off," I continued, picking up a data pad from the side table, "Mical suggested that I use this day to explore Dantooine. He also said that if I were to come across it, I explore the fabled Crystal caves."

Shen chuckled, "You're starting to sound more and more that that blonde freak every day."

I looked at him, my eyes wide. "I know! It's freaking me out." I put the data pad down and got up. "How'd you like to come with me?" I asked, slipping my feet into my boots and eyeing off the refresher.

"Hmm... Go with you and get Kinrath poisoning while searching for some 'fake' cave or..." he continued, putting his finger to his chin while deciding on the best second choice, "Stay here and track down that Tetriana chick..."

I rolled my eyes. "You're still obsessed with her?" I asked rhetorically, "I'm sure she's got better things to do than go prancing around with you."

Shen glared at me. He got up and ran into the refresher.

"Schutta!" I yelled, hoping he could hear. He obviously did for I could hear him laughing hysterically at me... though, the reason eluded me.

My thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Come in!" I called, quickly wrapping my dressing gown around me.

The door opened and I turned to find Mara, bright eyed and bushy tailed, standing there in cargo pants and a loose tee. Her hair was tied up in a high pony tail and her boots were replaced with low-grade cheep sneakers.

"Good mornin'." She said, dancing in and taking a seat next to me on my bed. Her cheerfulness seemed to fade when she found me inadequately dressed. "You're not planning on scouting in you're pjs are you?"

I nodded, "Oh yeah. No kinrath would want to touch me with this ensemble."

Mara laughed and looked to Shen's bed. "Where's sleepy?"

"In my refresher." I replied just as Shen walked out.

He gave me a look and then turned to Mara, saying good morning to her with a wave. I got up and stole the refresher, quickly getting changed and brushing my hair, not knowing what the day had install.

"So you're 25?" I asked after hearing Mara reply to Shen's question about her age.

She nodded, her long legs seeming to float on the grass. "How old are you two?"

"We're both 15." I replied, feeling small compared to her advanced age.

Shen coughed and elbowed me in the rib. "I hate to inform you but I am now 16."

I looked at him, confused. "You can't be, you're birthday's a few months away."

Shen raised an eyebrow. "Has you're training messed with your perception of time that much? We've been on Dantooine for almost 3 months, and my birthday is today."

I ran over the figures in my head. Mira had been kidnapped in the seventh month of Nar Shadda, which is equivalent to the 2nd month of Dantooine, so that means... I shook my head, discovering that my perception of time had really been effected by my training. But I wasn't going to admit defeat. "You're a liar. I would of remembered if it was you're birthday."

Shen took a step back as if he had been wounded. "Ouch Cakey, I knew you're training had made you cold but I didn't think you'd be that brutal." He recovered himself and continued, "today is the 9th day of the 5th month of Dantooine. If we were on Nar Shadda, it'd be the 17th of the 9th, aka, the day I was born 16 years ago."

I stared at him, flabbergasted. "I guess I'll take your word for it." I walked ahead of him and Mara, almost at a jogging pace. I knew they were following, but they were purposely dragging behind; probably to give me some time to recover from the previous embarrassment. I didn't know where I was going but I felt an urge to run forward, into a small group of Blba trees. I made my way through them, their coarse bark and sharp branches scratching at my skin... and there it was...

The Crystal Cave.

I could feel the force of those who'd previously visited flooding inside its walls as I walked in. The place was illuminated by a number of different coloured, glowing crystals. Purple, like the walls of my old room; green, like Travis on a particularly thrilling day; and yellow, like the glow of Dantooine's setting sun that engulfed my father's life as he sat on the porch, watching and waiting for my mother's return.

I walked further into the cage, glade that I came across no hostility. There was a fairly large cabin at the far side of the cave, filled with every colour of the rainbow. But there was one colour I longed for.

Viridian: The colour of my mother's light sabre and my father's dreams. Well, that's what he told me.

I searched the walls, finding every colour except the one I longed for. But there was one colour that I found myself staring at for an incredibly long time. One that I thought was impossible to wield in a light sabre... Silver: Shen's all time favourite colour.

I knelt down and picked up the smooth, rounded crystal. It was the only one of its kind and it sat in my hands, illuminating them with its strange and eerie glow. I shoved it into my pocket and stood up, continuing my search.

Up high, hanging from a small cliff, sat the item of my interest. I looked around for some sort of foot holds, granting my path up to the forbidding crystal. There was no possible way of getting it... unless...

"Ahem."

I swung around, staring in the direction of the voice. But no-one was there. I scanned the cave, looking for the little anomalies that stealth field generators gave off but found none of the sort. I slowly turned back around, looking up at the crystal. But it was gone.

My heart sank as I frantically climbed onto a rough boulder of crystals at the base of the small cliff. It was till to high for me to see as I reached up, clenching onto the soft, clammy edge of the cliff. I tried to pull myself up, but with no success. Instead, I slowly reached over the cliff, searching with my fingers for the item of my desire.

My hand found a pentagonal prism's smooth face and I desperately tried to clasp it in my hand.

But something, or someone, kicked the crystal away and stepped on my hand.

I screamed, the scream echoing throughout the cabin and into the many tunnels arriving to it. I tried to see the face of my saboteur but I only caught a glimpse of a hooded figure. Under their hood, I saw them grin at me wickedly, as they lifted their foot off my hand and kicked me down.

As my head came into contact with the rough rock floor, I couldn't help but think that I had seen that wicked grin somewhere before, but that thought was quickly wiped from my mind as I spiralled into an unconscious state.


	6. Chapter 5 Dreams

Have you ever had that feeling where you're falling in an endless pit? I hate that sort of feeling, those dreams that deceive your perception of reality. I used to have a lot of them as a child; I would often wake up screaming and my father would run in and hush me back to sleep. This was not one of those dreams, but it had the same effect as one; it felt so real.

The last thing I remembered was falling in the crystal caves on Dantooine, but when I _opened_ my eyes, I found myself back on Nar Shaddaa. I thought that this might have been a memory; you know, like ones that reoccur through your dreams until they arrive back to your conscious memory; but the odd thing was that I was standing on a landing pad in front of a ship that anyone in known, maybe even unknown, space would recognise: The Ebon Hawk. I took a few steps towards the ship and put my hand on the outer casing.

I could feel the cool metal.

Terrified, I jumped back looking the ship up and down. It took me a moment to realise that I was not alone. I looked around the bleak, grey landscape hoping to find the _other_ being, but no-one could be seen. Then a ramp leading from the Ebon Hawk made its swift decent to the concrete below and voices could be heard emerging from the old ship.

"This better not be a trick of yours," a female-sounding voice said.

I crouched next to a leg of the ship and hid in the shadow. Listening, a familiar voice entered my ears; one I thought I'd never hear again: "No one said _you _had to come."

I nearly fainted. The voice was that of my father, Atton Rand. I leant around the leg to get a look at a group of people who had gathered at the bottom of the ramp.

"Yeah, but if I didn't, who knows what you would do," said a tall lanky red-head wearing a striped green and purple dress. She was eyeing off a ribbed-jacketed man with brown hair who I took to be my father.

Another woman, a small and dark-haired thing, stood in the middle of the two of them. She wore a short blue, shoulder clipped dress and a belt which held two light sabre hilts.

"Come on guys," said the smaller woman, "We're just going to have some fun."

The red-head and my father nodded, with my father mumbling something about juma, and walked away from the ship. I still sat behind the leg, watching them leave the landing pad. Shortly after they'd disappeared behind a corner, some footsteps came trampling down the ramp. A moderately short blonde stood out in front of the 'hawk. I watched as he looked in this, that and every direction, calling for the others.

"Guys, where are you?" he called. He twisted and turned until his eyes lay on me. "Who are you?"

My cover blown, I walked out from the shadows and stood in front of him. Looking him up and down, I replied to his sudden question. "Cakey. Who are you?" I asked in return.

He nodded to my reply and in turn told me what the crew members of the 'hawk called him. "They call me Mic'. You wouldn't know where they went would you?"

I nodded and pointed towards the refugee sector. He nodded a silent thanks and ran off in the direction I pointed him in. Before he turned the corner, however, he turned back to me and asked if I wanted to come along.

At first I refused; as a kid I was told not to venture off with weird blonde strangers as a rule, but this one had the sweetest puppy eyes in the whole 'rim. I caught up to him and we ran through the refugee sector to the Pazaak Den and Cantina. With two different options, Mic' found that he still didn't know where his friends went.

"How long have you been on the 'Daa?" I asked. With those sweet puppy eyes Mic' looked down at me confused. I laughed, realising that anyone who had never been here before would not understand that the 'Daa was a nickname given to the place by the locals. "Not long I take it. They'll be in the Cantina."

Mic's face lit up and I followed him into the Cantina. I'd never been to this part of the refugee sector, the entertainment area, but even I knew that to enter the Pazaak Den you needed the password. Even Mira didn't know the password, although, Shen thought otherwise.

Looking around, Mic' pointed his friends out and I followed him close. We took a seat in the middle of a heated discussion between the red-head and my father. The small, dark one just sat there silently, sipping on what appeared to be some fruity drink.

"So you're telling me, and correct me if I'm wrong, that _you_ can not only pilot the ship but protect our dear friend here without me?" My father asked, his fist grabbing at the white table.

The red-head nodded. "Yes I am. So after this fun night will you leave?" she asked, her hands clasped tightly around her glass.

"I'll leave first thing in the…"

"No," the small dark one said, "Atton, don't leave."

Atton, my father, let go of the table and slumped back in his seat. "Fine, I'll stay for you Shana, but that's it."

The red-head's grip on her glass increased so greatly that the glass shattered and the purple liquid spilt out over the table and on all of us around it. She stood up, keeping her head down and her eyes hidden. "I don't believe you two…" she continued, not at all trying to hide her anger, "you act like you guys love each other…"

I looked over to the small, dark one whose face was going red. She kept her face down as well. I turned my gaze over to Atton who too could not look up at the red-head.

She continued her voice dark and crisp, "I don't get it. Tell me: What is it that they love about you Shana? Why do they always choose you over me? You're small. Is that it? Or maybe it's the dark hair. I don't get it!" She yelled, throwing her hands onto the table and looking up at the one called Shana and Atton, who were looking at her now. "It's not the first time you know!" The red-head continued, tears streaming down her cheeks, "Kavar loved you, Kreia loves you, and now this fool, this imbecile…" She pointed to Atton, shaking her finger at him. "Now you love her too.

"Tell me: Is it because I've got a fiery attitude? Is that why you don't love me?" She yelled at Atton now, her voice starting to tremble, "What is it about her? She's nothing, she's not even pretty! She's the most despicable person in the galaxy. She doomed hundreds, thousands of men and women to death and yet you love her over me. She's pathetic!"

Shana abruptly stood up and walked away, leaving the red-head pointing at Atton and Mic' and I, still unnoticed, sitting there and quivering in fear.

The red-head retreated to her seat and sat there, looking at Atton expectantly. "Well, why do you love her?" She asked viciously.

Atton got up, looking the red-head in the eye and said, "I love her because she's the opposite of you." He left in the direction that Shana had gone.

The red-head slumped into her seat, still oblivious to Mic' and I. Tears were still streaming down her face. "I'll kill you," she said to Atton's empty seat, "you and your beloved Shana…"

I gasped for air and abruptly sat up. Looking around me, expecting to see Mic' or the red-head, I saw nothing but darkness with faint glows of all sorts of colours. Realising where I was, I stood up, brushing some dust off my pants. I looked up to the cliff face where I first saw the viridian crystal, remembering what had happened; someone, with a recognisable wicked grin, had kicked me down.

I must have been out for hours, I thought to myself as I walked over to the cavern entrance. There was no light emitted from where the cave's entrance would be; I had a better chance of not getting lost if I stayed there until morning. Sitting down, I became aware of a bright light emerging from my pocket. Reaching into it, I felt the edges of not one, but two crystals. I pulled them out and looked at them in my hand: Silver and Viridian.

I remembered picking the silver crystal up, but how the viridian one came to my possession eluded me. Maybe someone had put it into my pocket while I was out, but who? Suddenly I heard a laugh echo though the caves. Fear made me tremble as I called out to the voice.

"Is anyone there?"

The only reply I got was the hum of a light sabre.

I stood up and looked everywhere for the glow, but my sight was distorted by the surround colours emitted by the many crystals in the cave. I shoved the viridian and silver crystal back into my pocket and prepared myself for battle.

The light sabre still was not in my sight, but before me stood a hooded figure, the one that had kicked me off the cliff.

"Come, quickly," it beckoned.

"Why would I follow you?" I asked.

"No time to answer, now follow quickly."

They ran off into the caves. Shrugging to myself I followed, becoming aware of someone or _something _following us.

I took one quick glance back and saw red hair, more illuminated by their red light sabre.


	7. Chapter 6 Aunty Pepper

As ill fated as I was at the current moment, I couldn't help but feel close to the fiery red head that was pursuing us. I had seen her somewhere before; that I was certain of, but where and when was a whole other story. Like a drunken man on his way home we ran through the caves, trying to lose the angered sith. All our attempts were flawed until we lost her in a large labyrinth of tunnels full of deceiving lights.

I took a seat against a cool wall in a wide cavern which was dimly lit by purple and yellow crystals which littered the walls, the ground and the roof. The hooded fellow, who I was following, paced to and from a small creek and back, mumbling inaudible words to themself.

I saw this as an opportunity to clarify a few things.

"Why'd you kick me off the cliff?" I asked, digging my heels into the soft ground.

The hooded fellow stopped pacing and turned their attention to me. Kneeling, they pulled back their hood and revealed their identity.

"Mical?"

Mical nodded slowly and solemnly. His eyes betrayed no emotion, as with the rest of his face. "Cakey, I did it to save you?" he finally said.

"Save me?" I asked, furious, "kicking me down from a cliff is now classified as saving a person?"

Mical shook his head, "That's not what I mean…"

Another thing just clicked in my head. Mical has blonde hair, blue eyes… blue puppy eyes. "MIC'?!?"

Mical fell back onto his hand. "How do you know that nickname?"

I shrugged, "After you _saved _me, I had a dream… No, it was too realistic. More like, what you would say, a vision."

Mical looked at me astonished, "I had no idea you were so strong in the force." Mical took a data pad out and did _something _to it then returned his attention to me. "Jakkie, do you know who's pursuing us?"

I shrugged, "Some angry red head?"

Mical ignored my sarcasm and continued, "She was your mother's best friend. A very strong and tall woman, by the name of Pepper Jones, who was easily angered easily. She, in particular, didn't get along with your father. We thought, originally that this had to do with her hatred of men, but we later discovered that jealousy…"

Mical gasped very loudly. I sat there, looking at the end of a red light sabre coming from his chest. Behind him, lit by the glow of her light sabre and the crystals around us was the pursuer. She wore pitch black robes as well as a glowing purple necklace. When I looked at that I got this eerie feeling; something about the necklace wasn't right.

She looked at Mical, who had now turned to face her, with devious yellow eyes. Letting out a small laugh she pulled her light sabre away and Mical's body fell lifeless to the floor.

Once it had made contact, she turned her attention to me.

"You have nothing to fear Miss Rand…" She deactivated her light sabre and held out her hand to me, "I'm your aunty Peppermint."

I reluctantly took her hand and she pulled me up. She shook my hand and then let go and took a step back. She looked me over a few times, thought to herself, then started to pace. How she was acting intrigued, yet scared me at the same time.

She noticed my fear and shot a smile to me.

"Jakkie, you look just like your mother," she continued, putting a finger to her chin, "Green eyes, dark features… It's just your hair. I suppose you got that from your father."

I nodded.

"You see, your mother and I go way back. We were only a few years younger than you when we met on Coruscant. I bet you didn't know that."

I nodded again.

"You're a very quiet girl. Tell me, do you know who killed your father that fateful day?"

_How did she know about that?_ I thought to myself. "Yes, a group of Mandalorians killed him."

Pepper clicked her tongue and shook her head. "I'm afraid you've been told wrong," she ignited her light sabre again and stood there, her face lowered as she spoke. "The Mandalorians didn't kill him; I did."

The world froze at the words "I did." I didn't know whether to run or whether to make this witch pay for killing my father, but it felt like I had all the time in the world to make that decision. I counted the beats in my heart as I waited for Pepper to stab me, just as she stabbed Mical, with her light sabre.

_One..._

_Two…_

_Three..._

I hadn't seen him. I had presumed he was dead, but I guess that he still had enough life in him to buy me some time.

"RUN JAKKIE!" Mical yelled to me as he used his light sabre to cripple Pepper by slicing off her foot closest to him.

"AHH!" She scream at him, using all the force she could to stab him with her weapon.

I didn't stay there to watch the onslaught of anger Pepper had; I ran.

I still had no idea which way to go but I felt that I was going the right way. I stumbled over numerous rocks; no stumble big enough to dampen my focus. My eye sight being blurred by the crystal covered walls, I ran and ran for what felt like hours until I could run no more.

I took a seat on the ground and _rested _my eyes…

A bright light was belting down on my face. I could feel that I was moving, but how I did not know. Suddenly afraid that I had slept I attempted to jump up, only to discover that I was being carried. Frightened I looked up to see an unusually focused face with long blonde hair. It took a moment to click in my head.

"Tetriana?" I asked, shuffling in her arms to get comfortable.

She nodded and dropped me. I fell onto my butt in the long grass. I mumbled thanks as I got up.

"I suppose you can find your way from here, or Shen will find you," she said, and she walked away.

I nodded and watched her wander off. Even with her back turned, she still had a diffused dark glow around her, one that was vaguely familiar. Shaking my head away from such thoughts, I took in the surroundings, hoping to decide on the best route back to the enclave. There I would tell them of Mical and Pepper.

Suddenly remembering something, I threw my hand into my pocket and pulled out the contents: A silver crystal and a viridian crystal. And right on cue, behind me a familiar voice called to me.

"CAKEY!"

"PAT!" I yelled back, running to Shen.

We shared a brief hug before I handed him the silver crystal. He looked at it then to me, a little confused and surprised at the same time.

"Why are you giving me this?" he asked, tossing the crystal from one hand to another.

"It was for your birthday, thought, I s'pose I'm a day late," I replied, putting the viridian crystal back into my pocket.

Shen nodded and we started to walk back towards the enclave. Along the way I told Shen of the conflict in the cave, he listened intently and only made one comment.

"I'm glad you made it out alive," he said to me, just as I had finished telling him.

_While Jakkie returned the enclave, Mical, just barely alive and having his light sabre kicked away from him, laid on the floor, beaten and bruised by Pepper._

"_So you think you can protect her? You're still weak," Pepper said, hopping around Mical's body._

"_Listen, you don't have to do this. You're such a good padawan, it's only Pepper's ghost controlling you," Mical pleaded._

_Pepper laughed and knelt down so that she was face to face with Mical. "Your apprentice doesn't exist anymore. I bid you farewell old friend, hopefully there'll being enough of you to heal my leg."_

_Pepper stood up and used her force will to drain the life from Mical, cackling while she did it_


	8. Chapter 7 Time is short

Mical never returned from the cave. Search parties were sent out to find him but there was no trace of his body. They did, however, find his light sabre, littered among the rocks deep within a cavern in the crystal cave.

It was a bright and sunny day; unfortunately no one was pleasant enough to enjoy the day. Mical had been presumed dead and we all gathered in the courtyard to listen to that up-herself brunette. Her name was Bastilla Shan. She had travelled with Revan, my aunty Revan as it turns out, during the Jedi Civil War. Bastilla was a very pretty woman, however her eyes were daunting to look upon; Bao had told me the previous day that she had seen too much for a young woman to comprehend; she was only 21 when she travelled with Revan, and we all heard how she had succumbed to the dark side.

"We must all remember: There is no death, only the force," Bastilla continued, holding a rare white flower in her hand, "Master Mical may of left us, but he is now one with the force, as we all will be one day."

She threw the flower into the fountain and walked away, dismissing all of Jedi who had gathered with the exception of me; she called me to the council chambers.

Curious, I followed her and she sat me down in front of her.

"Cakey," she continued, smoothing her robes as she too took a seat on the ground, "I want you to tell me what you saw in the caves; everything."

I told her everything I could remember; from the red head named Pepper to the silver and viridian crystals. All the while she listened, she made intrigued noises.

"This red head named Pepper, was she wearing anything distinctive?" Bastilla asked.

I shrugged. "Pitch black robes, she was wielding a red light sabre like any other sith…" I tried to think of anything else, "Ah! She was wearing a purple light sabre crystal around her neck. It had an evil glow and was very cre…"

"Ssh," Bastilla hushed me. "Have you told anyone else of this?"

I nodded, "Shen and you."

She got up and walked over to a window which looked out into the courtyard. From where I sat I could see several younglings chasing a young Kath hound in the long grass, but her attention wasn't on their dangerous behaviour, she was watching someone else.

"Having Shen around the enclave is hindering your training. A Jedi must have no emotional attachments," she sighed and turned back to me. "I'm afraid that you must ask Shen to leave."

I stood up and made my way over to her. "He's my best friend! I can't do that!" I yelled at her.

"Keep your emotions at bay young one," she said, putting a hand up to restrain me.

I sighed, "Yes master. May I go now?"

Bastilla shook her head, "Ask Shen to leave. He's only going to hinder your training even further."

I nodded and left the council chambers.

****

Travis was easy to find. He was always in the armoury, upgrading his light sabre or working on some other project of his. However, when I walked in there, his head was low and his usual, vibrant green colour had diminished to a pale, bland shade of green.

As I approached him he looked at me with droopy, sad eyes and his lekku seemed to move in a sad manner as he turned to face me.

"Greetings young one," he said, brushing some sweat off his forehead.

I nodded my greetings and cut straight to the point, "Master Shan reckons Shen's hindering my training."

Travis shrugged, "Do you think he is?"

I shook my head, "I think that having Shen around is helping. She wants me to tell him to leave."

Travis nodded and directed his attention away from me and to the work bench for a moment. He did something to the item that sat upon the bench. Once he was done, he lifted it up and showed me.

It was a light sabre hilt.

I tilted my head. "What're you doing with that?"

Travis got off his chair and walked over to me. He took my hand with his empty hand and held it palm up. He placed the hilt in my hand. "I think it's time you had your first light sabre. All you have to do is chose your class and crystal."

I studied the hilt with my eyes. It was beautifully crafted, with a sweat proof grip. I looked up to Travis; it seems that his mood had lifted in seeing me interested in the hilt.

"What classes are there to choose from?" I asked, being well aware of the three choices.

"The Jedi Guardian, they specialise in using their weapon rather than relying on force powers. The Jedi Sentinel, who use their sharp minds to think quickly and outsmart the enemy, and, finally, the Jedi Counsellor, who strive to learn every aspect of the force and focus more so on their ability to wield it than wielding a light sabre," Travis told me that he thought I would be most suited to a Jedi Sentinel.

I shook my head. "I want to learn as much as I can about the force. I wish to be a Jedi Counsellor."

Travis smiled, "I take it you've already got a green crystal?"

I nodded, "Better than that; a viridian one."

Temporarily distracted, I used the work bench to apply my crystal to the hilt and activated it. The light green colour, rich and warm, lit the room with its eerie colour. Deactivated it and returned to what I had come here for.

"Travis, I am ready to leave Dantooine."

Travis walked over to me. "Cakey, your training is not complete! Be patient."

I shook my head, "For all we know, Mira could be off dancing for some slavers right now. We need to get to her before we lose her forever."

Travis gave me a sympathetic look. "I'm starting to believe in Bastilla's wisdom."

"How?" I enquired.

"Shen is hindering your training. If you're willing to rush off like this, you might end up like Revan." He took a seat and sighed. "Cakey, I must ask you to do what Bastilla has asked."

I shook my head. "No deal."

I used force stun to stun him and took the codes (which were on a data pad) to his old freighter ship off the work bench. I ran out of the armoury as quickly as possible. I ran through the corridors of the enclave, looking everywhere for Shen. I couldn't leave without him.

Out into the courtyard I ran, and there he was, chasing the mother kath hound off and away from the children who'd been annoying it's child.

"We have to leave Shen!" I stated, puffing.

Shen looked at me, confused. "Why?"

I shook my head and grabbed his hand, "Come on."

He took his hand back and ran along beside me silent. We ran through the Khoonda station to the docking bay where we found Travis's freighter ship with ease. I opened the hatch to the cargo hold and threw the data pad to Shen.

"Get the ship up and running!" I yelled to him, seeing as he was the only one of us who'd actually flown a ship.

That turned out to be a lie. "I've never flown a ship before? What do you expect me to do?!" He yelled back at me.

I closed the hatch, "No better time to learn."

I pushed him off into the cockpit and took the co-pilot's seat. After a short struggle, we got the ship off the ground and into the air. Leaving the atmosphere was rough, but once in open space, Shen punched in the co-ordinates to Nar Shaddaa.

We had decided that Nar Shaddaa was the best place to start our search for Mira. There must've been some clues to her whereabouts in the old apartment, or even on the docks, we could ask the dock master.

We would find her no matter what.

Shen didn't question my actions back on Dantooine as he flew the ship towards Nar Shaddaa. I took it that he just didn't want to talk about it, but he told me later that it was due to him concentrating on flying the ship.

The trip to Nar Shaddaa was long, 3 weeks. But we were determined and it's amazing what determination can do.

_Travis and Bastilla gathered in the council chambers along with the other Masters._

"_I fear Cakey may be in greater trouble than she thinks," Bastilla said, taking a seat in one of the chairs that circled the chamber._

_A short woman nodded. "She is much like her mother, always rushing into things."_

"_Like Revan. The whole family's alike," Travis said. He took a holopad out and showed the others a hologram of a young man, not much older than 17, wearing light armour. "Quil, do you think you can stop her from hurting herself?"_

_The young man nodded, "It'd be a pleasure to brother." The hologram disappeared and the council chambers remained silent._

"_What about Pepper?" Asked an old, dark skinned man, "She's is still a threat here on Dantooine."_

_Bastilla shook her head. "I fear that she is no longer on this planet, nor is the young apprentice she took over." _

_Travis looked at Bastilla with a sad expression. "Should we inform Carth?"_

_Bastilla nodded. "He's the only one who could reach Revan, and I fear we may be needing both her and the Exile's help in the months to come…"_


	9. Chapter 8 Ultimate Betrayal

I rested my head against the wall of the refresher. There had been nothing but utter silence between Shen and I over the last week or so and I was just about ready t do my head in. The ship's noises were daunting and trying to sleep in the rough bunks had been the worst experience of my life; even worse than sleeping in Mira's smelly apartment.

Shen had discovered how to put the ship on Auto pilot; however he rarely left the cockpit. The only time I'd seen him come out was at midafternoon, or when it would be mid afternoon on Dantooine according to the ships internal clock, to use the refresher. I had joined him once or twice in the cockpit, but other than that, I found myself reading over old data pads I'd found in a locker next to one of the bunks.

One of the data pad's peaked my interest. It read:

…_Lillian and Quil have decided to leave me alone. I never thought that it'd be this hard to deal with younger siblings, let alone younger human siblings. Mother explains that they will grow, all humans start out in this annoying state, but I can't help but think that Lillian's going…_

…_Dead. She's dead, all at Quil's hand. Mother has decided to send him to Nar Shaddaa with father, hoping that he can better apply his abilities there. She tells me that I'll be leaving soon. Apparently the Jedi are going to take me to Dan…_

The log ended there. I knew immediately that it was Travis's log, it had to be, but who were Quil and Lillian? Siblings, but… It intrigued me.

However, my attention was diverted by a knock at the door. "Come in," I called and in walked Shen.

Shen looked like anyone else in his position would look, tired yet confused. I patted the matress beside me but Shen shook his head and leant against the furthest wall from me. I noticed at that point that the ship wasn't making the noises it did when it was moving.

Shen directed his glare at me and in a serious voice said, "We need to talk."

I nodded. "I know."

"Why are we doing this?" he asked, crossing his arms, "Why leave when you were still in the middle of my training?"

"Shen, we need to get Mira back…"

"Don't give me that," Shen swatted the air with his hand. "Tell me the real reason."

What? That I didn't want to lose you, my best friend, just for some Jedi training? That I was determined to stick with you to the very end because that's what family does and you're my family? I wasn't going to say that, but looking back on it now, that would have been the best reply. "You just have to trust me."

Shen sighed, "I do trust you. But running like this… This is not how I'd plan to rescue Mira."

He got off the wall and took a seat on the bed next to me. "Cakey, I want you to think about this. Are you sure that this is what you want?"

I took a moment to think then nodded. "I'm positive."

He got up, "I better get the ship up and running then," and left me in the dorm.

***

Nar Shaddaa looked peaceful from the ship, but we knew all too well of the mess it was in on the surface. In a way I was relived; we'd finally get off that hell of a ship; but in another sense I was saddened.

"It brings back memories," Shen said quietly as he took a seat in the pilot's chair.

I looked to him. "We can wait a day or two if it'd be easier."

Shen shook his head. "No. We need to start as soon as possible."

And so the ship descended t the ground below.

After being in space for a certain amount of time, your legs tend to feel lighter than what they are. As I walked through the ship with Shen to the cargo hold, I tripped and fell flat on my face. Sighing, I got up. Shen didn't offer me a hand, he was too busy trying to stop himself from passing out from laughing.

Stepping from the ramp to the cargo hold onto the landing bay made my head spin at first, but after several minutes I found myself at total peace with myself. It seemed returning to the moon helped me find total serenity.

We were greeted by a troubled looking Duros who seemed too much too curious in my opinion.

"State your business here," he said in his traditional language.

Shen and I exchanged looks. "You do not need to know our business," I said in reply, waving my hand in front of him. I was trying to use Force Persuade.

He looked at me puzzled. "Are you trying to be funny?" He asked, mimicking me. "State your business here."

I was about to slice his head off with my light sabre, but Shen stopped me. "We're here on family matters. My mother is gravely ill and wishes that her children come and see her before she passes away. This is my cousin Cakey. Please excuse her if she seems a bit weird, she was run over by a land speeder twice when she was very young."

I looked at him, shocked and insulted. But before I opened my big mouth to protest, the Duros opened the gates to the refugee sector. "Give your mother my blessings," he said before waving us off.

Shen walked out of the office and I followed closely behind, planning to pounce on him as soon as we made it to the docks.

The docks hadn't changed one bit since we'd left several months ago. To our luck, the dock guard for our section of the docks was still Yende. She was a beautiful selkath, although, Shen didn't like her very much. He didn't like any of the Selkath. She lived just down the hall from us with her husband Luff and two children, Elbretta, who would be 13 in human years now and Quizll, who was turning 23. Ten human years apart seemed like a long time, but for the ancient race of the selkath, was only a micro second.

I didn't dare ask Yende her name. She was old, and that's all I needed to know to treat her with respect. Unfortunately, Shen didn't think the same, so when we walked into the refugee sector, we decided that I should be the one doing the talking, just to play it safe.

"Greeting Yende," I said as we approached her.

She smiled like a selkth when she saw who we were. "Oh my dears, I haven't seen you in months." For a selkath, she spoke perfect galactic basic.

I nodded, "I know. We've been down at Dantooine. I'm a Jedi." I moved my long jacket back and showed her my light sabre.

She put her finger to her lips. "Ssh. Jedi aren't on good terms with the exchange at the moment. Apparently that's why they took Mira away."

Shen protested, "My mother ain't a Jedi. You listen here you smelly fish, if I ever hear you calling my mother anything she isn't I'll skin you and your children and feed them to the Kath hounds down at Vogga the Hutt's."

Yende put her hands up in defence. "No offense intended Shen," she continued, "But I advise you, Jakkie my dear, not to go flashing that thing around. You might find yourself in a world of trouble."

I nodded. "Thanks Yende, I take it the apartment's still in one piece?"

She nodded, "Just head down there and let yourselves in. It is your home after all."

I nodded a thanks and lead Shen away from her before he made more of an idiot of himself.

Walking along the passage way towards the apartment, I spoke quietly to Shen.

"What happened to me doing all the talking?" I asked, trying to keep my voice down.

"She's dodgey. Always has been and always will be." He said in reply.

I looked at him. "Yende's sweet, how can you say she's dodgy?" I asked as I opened the apartments door.

Shen pointed, "By setting us up like this."

I looked in the apartment to find 3 men, each wearing combat armour, each looking a lot strong than Shen and I. I put my hand on my hilt. "What can we do for you guys?" I asked, nudging Shen with my other arm, hoping he'd get the message.

However, when Shen pulled his blaster out, instead of holding it to the men in our apartment, he held it to my head.

"I told you my first Bounty would be a Jedi," he said, serious and evilly, "Guys, she's all yours. If you want to take us both to the Exchange so I can collect my payment and Alisque can accept his gift, I'd be very happy."

The men nodded and two of them took me by either arm. "Shen!" I cried as he lowered his weapon and I was dragged out to the docks.

He just looked at me, his face expressionless, and then followed the two men, beside the other man.

I had been betrayed by my own best friend.


	10. Chapter 9 Choices

The room was cold. I sat behind the force field, shivering. I had no idea where I was, but I still knew that it was somewhere in the Refugee sector; there was no mistaking that smell.

Shen and the two men had disappeared after throwing me in the cell, and I sat there, alone, cold and still teary. I know that a Jedi is supposed to feel no emotion, but I couldn't help it; a wave of sadness, like the one I felt the day my father died, just took over.

It felt like decades as I sat in the far corner, shielding my face away from those who might happen to walk past. I heard something, but decided to keep my face hidden. I didn't care who or what it was, I wasn't going to show my weakness.

A shadow loomed over me. "Quickly, get up!" A male voice ordered.

Confused, I looked up to see a young man, holding his hand down to me. I could not see his face, he was watching the hallway intently, which was now a silver colour rather than the purple colour it was behind the field. However, I could see his dark hair.

"Come on!" he bellowed and I took his hand.

He pulled me up and pulled me out of the room. He put the force field back up and, still holding onto my hand, started to walk down the long hallway. He took cautious steps, which I followed just as cautiously.

We came across our first lot of resistance just down the hall from my cell. Two junior guards, who looked like they were still eating lunch, ordered us to stop.

Following orders, I stopped, but the man pulled out a blaster and quickly shot down the two young guards with such skill and precision that I couldn't help but admire.

"Take this," he said, handing me a blaster. He was finally facing me and I took a good look at his face.

I had been in love once before, when I was very young. We had a 'pet' Kath hound named Ruby; her coat was a bright red colour. She was young, too young to pose any danger to dad and I. As with most Kath hounds, she had black eyes which were evil yet cute at the same time.

My father was weary of letting me and Ruby out by ourselves, but when I reached the tender age of 7, Ruby 1, he finally decided to let us go out on our own.

It was the most fun I'd had away from my father. Ruby and I ran through the long Dantooine grass like fixan sharks swimming through the clear waters of Manaan. We played under the warm sun, me throwing a small stick; Ruby catching it and bringing it back, ready to repeat the process.

However, like all good things, the fun Ruby and I had eventually came to an end. It's quite vivid in my memory; I threw the stick, but I didn't account for a group of wild Kath hounds hiding behind the roll of the hill. Ruby chased it, like normal but she didn't come back. She disappeared behind the hill. I called and called for her, but she didn't return. I eventually ran up the hill and looked out past the Blba trees but Ruby was never to be seen again.

I returned home that day, eyes full of tears. My father understood that I was upset and quickly told me that Ruby probably ran off with some handsome Kath hound male she'd found and that I should be happy for her.

But like all stubborn 7 year olds, I went and sulked in my room.

I had never seen anyone like him; he was absolutely stunning. I literally froze, my hand hovering above the blaster in his, as I took in his appearance. He was the most stunning man I'd ever seen; light blue eyes which contrasted his pitch black hair; soft lips and a small nose. His cheek bones sat at an unusual level, giving him an older look but I could tell that he wasn't much older than me.

At least I hoped he wasn't much older than me. I was completely head over heels for him that instant he turned and faced me.

Lost in his aura, I had totally forgotten where I was or the situation I was in. I was kind of taken back when he suddenly snapped at me.

"Are you gonna take the blaster or not!?" he asked, hitting my hand with it.

I shook my head and returned to reality. "Why would I do that?" I asked, still not grasping the fact that I was trying to escape.

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "Are all Jedi like you?"

I looked at him, shocked and a little angered. "What does that mean?"

He grabbed my hand with his empty hand and made it clasp the blaster in his other one. "Just take the blaster sister and come'n!"

I grudgingly did so and followed him down the hall where he'd shot the guards just before. No matter how good he looked, from what I knew he was a complete and total schutta.

It was weird using a blaster after practicing with melee weapons back on Dantooine. I was a bit _upset _at the fact that I was yet to use my light sabre; it probably would have made things a lot easier.

We'd taken down a total of 6 guards, 5 to him; 1 to me. I wasn't keeping count, no I don't think that highly of myself, but Quill, as his named turned out to be, made sure that I knew the count every time we came up against another guard. We had snuck past as many guards as possible, but sometimes stealth just wasn't an option. Quill was an expert, however, at these things, which lead me to believe that he was a scoundrel. We'd just broken into a room, thanks to Quill's expert slicing skills, when he'd called me over to a terminal and told me to look at the screen.

A boy… No, it wasn't a boy… Shen was being forced into a cell with a woman… Mira… by the guards he was with before. The audio on the camera was dodgy, but I could just make out several words being yelled by either Shen or the guards.

"The Jedi will come for her!" I heard someone call.

One of the guards appeared to laugh and then spat in Shen's face. He kicked him in the gut, pushing Shen right into the cell and a force field went up. I was unable to see into the cell, but I could see the three guards laughing at the cell whilst they walked away.

I felt an arm on my shoulder and turned to see Quill; him too looking down at the view screen; his face grim.

"It's up to you if you want to rescue him," he continued calmly, "don't forget, Jakkie, he is your best friend."

I gave Quill a look; how did he know that information? How did he know my name? I looked back down at the screen to see the force field suddenly ripple from inside impact and Shen's body falling back. He held his left arm with his right hand and looked to the camera.

_Cakey… Help me…_

I looked around me for the voice. "Did you say something?" I asked Quill but his reply was just a shake of the head.

_Please…_

There it was again! I left the terminal and looked right around the room but there was no one but Quill and I. I looked back to Quill who was giving me a strange look.

"Have you lost it?" he asked.

I shook my head. "I can hear a voice…"

_Cakey!_

"There did you hear it?" I asked, grabbing Quill by the collar. He shook his head.

_I'm sor… _The voice cut out. I looked around the room again while Quill asked me if I wanted to save Shen.

I suddenly recognised the voice.

I went back to the view screen to see several guards dragging Shen's motionless body away from the cell and down the hall. One of them was keeping watch of Mira while the cell was open.

I grabbed Quill's shirt and started to drag him from the terminal. "Come on we've got to save Shen!"

He stopped me quickly. "Ok, but you're going to need this." He held a long silver object in his hand; my light sabre.

I smiled and took it off him. We ran down the halls back to the cells.

We didn't know where the guards took Shen, but Mira did.


	11. Chapter 10 The Grand Arena

Chapter 10

Running through the base was treacherous yet quite exhilarating. Adrenaline ran through my veins as Quill took down several enemies with single blaster shots. The blasters we had were not republic standard; they had been modified so much that they were beyond illegal, and if we were caught by the authorities with them we would have been banished from the outer rim. Well, that's what Quill said.

Excited at the fact that I finally got to use a light sabre, I swiftly _attempted _to decapitate my enemy but he blocked my blow with his vibro-blade. I thought light sabres could cut through _anything, _but it seems that I was wrong and I found myself in a battle with this one Exchange guard. It looked like it would never end until Quill intervened and took him down with his blaster.

"Thanks," I said as I swept my hair back and we continued back towards the cells.

It was obvious to us that Mira had not been in the same cell lot as I had; I would have noticed her before; but Quill directed me towards the cells on the other side of the compound. There were five in all, one of them was open and out the front laid a corpse.

Fearing it was Mira, I ran to it, only to find that it was the guard we'd seen on the surveillance. He had light sabre wounds and it looked like he'd been looted. I looked into the cell for Mira, but she was no-where to be seen.

"Damnit!" I heard Quill yell as he walked over to the cell. "We needed her to find Shen!"

I rose from the body guard and turned to Quill. I was determined for answers.

Pointing at him, I angrily started to ask him the questions on my mind; "Who are you?! How do you know so much about Shen and I?! AND WHERE IS HE?!"

"I thought you were a Jedi!" he yelled back at me.

I nodded. "How on the Nar do you know that?"

"There's no fooling you is there?" he asked rhetorically, clipping his blaster to his belt. "I was sent here by Travis to watch you."

I didn't know whether to feel angry or loved. Angry because Travis didn't trust me and loved because he cared. I didn't think Jedi were capable of caring. But, like normal, anger was the dominant feeling.

"So the Jedi revert to spying now?!" I yelled at him. I continued yelling at him while he tried to calm me down, fearing that the guards would arrive at any minute, "Why did Travis put you up to this? How do you even know Travis?"

"Listen Jakkie!" He held me by the shoulders, not in a violent way but in a calm, we-need-to-get-a-move-on way, as he continued, "We need to save Shen, Mira and ourselves. I can explain this all later, but for now, we need to get out of here."

I shrugged Quill's hands off my shoulders and started to walk off in the direction we came. A sudden realisation dawned upon me. I turned to him, and with a curious squint asked, "Are you Travis's brother?"

He didn't give any inclination either way. I opened my mouth to elaborate but Quill shooshed me, "We need to get going." He said and we walked towards the way we came.

Only to be apprehended by about 10 of the body-guards.

I raised my light sabre, ready to strike but Quill shook his head.

"We'd never make it," he whispered.

I nodded and we were taken away from the cell lot. We put up no resistance.

Being dragged down a number of different halls can be quite… quite interesting, the exchange wasn't in the prime location but it had a beautiful interior. Yeah, the walls and floors were all silver or grey but the statues and pictures made the place seem like a palace.

There was one picture in particular, it was framed in gold. The man in the picture was adorned in royal colours, purple, red and gold. He had soft blue hair and underneath the picture, was the label, _Casey, King of the Exchange. _Who was Casey? He looked powerful, but the last human to be seen highly in the exchange was Goto, and that was during the times my mother and father travelled together. Over 20 years ago.

I was nudged along and we continued down the hall and through a large door. The room on the other side was stunning! The walls were a velvet red; the carpet a bright purple. I felt as if I'd been transported to a palace.

The only thing that ruined it was the bloodied body that stained the floor of the carpet in front of us.

Her reddish orange hair was all I could recognise her by; she was face down in the carpet; her body had been mauled by some wild beast.

"Mira," I said softly to myself.

A door at the far end of the chamber opened and Shen was pushed through. The door was locked and the guards who had escorted us retreated out through the door. It slammed behind us and I took another look around the grand room.

It was no ordinary room. Windows lined the top of the room and I could hear cheering and clapping.

We were in some sort of arena.

I looked at Quill; all his weapons had been taken off him with the exception of his vibro-blades. I still had my light sabre in my hands. Obviously this was meant to be a melee battle. Shen walked over to us, stopping halfway to kneel down to his mother's body. He held his head in is hands for a few moments then took something off her belt and continued over to Quill and I.

"Cakey, I'm sorry," Shen continued, "I needed some way to get into the exchange. I had planned to rescue you after I got mum out."

I rolled my eyes. "Always make things complicated now don't we?" I asked, pointing towards the large beast being let out of two large doors on the adjacent wall to the wall closest to us. "I've never seen one of them before," I looked back at Quill, who was now holding his vibro-blades in either hand. "What is it?"

"A young Krayt Dragon," Quill replied, walked so he was beside me. "Don't let the thing get hold of you and pray that if we defeat this one, the Exchange doesn't have its mother in captivity too."

I heard a humming and turned to see Shen holding a yellow light sabre. Eyes wide, I asked him, "Where'd you get that?"

To which he replied, "From my mother."

"Time for small talk is now over guys," Quill said, pointing one of his blades in the way of the young krayt dragon, "we've been spotted."

The large reptile looked at us with large black eyes and opened its mouth to reveal large, sharp jagged teeth that could slice though 12 inches of dural steel.

We were in for some trouble when it suddenly charged towards us, using all its four legs to swiftly move along the ground. Quill and Shen jumped out of the way but I was too slow and was nearly sliced by its teeth; the dragon had stopped just inches before me, thanks to my force ability to use statis field.

I admired my handy work; I didn't think it was possible to trap a creature that big in statis field; but was drawn back to reality when I heard something cut through flesh.

The krayt dragon's head dropped off its body and soon afterwards the whole body followed suit. Shen stood next to the decapitated head, covered in blood and the light sabre barely off the groud.

"These things are powerful," Shen bluntly stated. I was given no chance to reply for the large doors flew open and in walked an oldish man with pale blue hair.

It instantly clicked in my head. He was the man from the photo.

"Well done," he continued, clapping as he walked towards Shen, "You're just the young man I need."

Shen held the light sabre up. "Stay away from me Casey. What does Alisque want now?" He asked when Casey stopped in his tracks.

Casey shook his head. "I don't work for Alisque. No, no. I wouldn't work for that slime ball. He works for me. Shen, I'm sending an invitation to you and your comrades; join me."

I spoke up. "No. The exchange is evil! Shen, don't agree to it; they killed Mira!"

Shen nodded, "I know." He turned to me and gave me a weak smile. _But we also want to get out of here alive don't we._

I stood back, shocked. I'd heard his voice in my head again. Shen had since turned back to Casey.

"Explain what it is we have to do, and maybe… Maybe we'll help you out," Shen said as Quill and I walked up to Casey and him.

Casey smiled. "Very well, follow me."

As we left the grand arena, I saw something in the far corner of the arena. Quickly ducking off, I picked up a round, metallic object. It looked like a pearl. I shoved the moderately large pearl into my pocket and ran to catch up with Shen, Quill and Casey.


End file.
